My partner in crime and loyal Street Smarts reader, Herald copy editor Bill Pedigo, asked about the unused railroad bridge that spans I-5 near 116th Street NE in Marysville.

“The bridge has been there ever since I can remember,” said Pedigo, who commutes to Everett from Stanwood past the spot. “Now, it’s a span that goes nowhere, but remains, dare I say, an eyesore and who knows, a potential danger if it ever fell onto I-5.

“Perhaps you can enlighten us to the history of that bridge, and when it was last used,” he said. “Maybe there is a master plan we’re all in the dark on. Maybe that span will be used when Sound Transit brings light rail north to Smokey Point. Maybe it can be turned into a trail to give easier access for those hitching a ride on freight trains who want to shop at the Seattle Premium Outlet mall and try their luck at the casino. Or maybe it just needs to be demolished. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. Crews simply have to finish up work on the 116th bridge and get their industrial-sized reciprocating saws going. I’ll even bring my Sawzall to help.”

You can put the Sawzall away, Bill. Your first musings were spot-on.

But first, the history lesson…

The bridge is Tulalip Tribes property. The rails remain on the bridge but are no longer connected to any main lines.

The track once was used by the federal government to access an ammunition storage depot and training site it had on Tulalip property and used during World War II. Later, the property was leased by Boeing for an engine test site.

Boeing gave up its lease on the area in the late 1990s, opening up development. Today, the area is anchored by the popular Seattle Premium Outlets shopping mecca.

“With Tulalip-owned land on both sides of the I-5 corridor it was and continues be included within our master plan as part of the non-motorized trail system,” said Debbie Bray, the Tulalip Tribes project manager for the 116th Street overpass work.

In one long-term vision, a new train station could drop off Canadians and Oregonians from Amtrak Cascades service, and then a trolley would take them from Quil Ceda Village over I-5 using the bridge to access new development on the east side of the interstate.

For now, the bridge is inspected every two years according to a state schedule. Graffiti removal and other maintenance is done once a year.

“Is it us our goal to refurbish this historical structure span and repurpose it to connect our communities,” Bray said.

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